I just got a new tandem island. Love this thing! I havent taken it out yet because I'm still setting up this Thule rack on my truck in the same way that another guy did here. I have two quick questions,

1) Where the ropes connect in the back, I want that to be higher. It like drapes over my shoulder. Can you recommend a product or is there something I can build that fixes this?

2) For people who are experienced with the islands. What backup hardware would you have at home and on board for anything on the island that is prone to fail every once in a while?

This is my first post so I will introduce myself right quick.My name is Chris. I own an older 28' Mako with twin 200s that has spent 90% of it's life in the shop. I'm really looking to simplify. Even on the home front we are more into growing our own food and such so I think Hobie is a natural transition for me. I like the idea of having a boat that I can put on my truck, don't have to pay gas, storage, deal with engine issues, etc. I also like being more involved and closer to the elements. I usually don't get too excited about things but I am about this.

I've had mine out quite a bit this past year and haven't found it to be trouble prone at all. If you have the right amount of sheet length, you can drop enough slack in the line so that it doesn't drape over your shoulder - it just falls alongside the boat or on the gunwale. I converted mine to single sheet 3 to 1 (both parties can operate the boat from the same control line). I think my mainsheet is 85 feet long. But I'd have to go back and measure it again - it may be a little bit shorter than that.

I always carry a 4-way screwdriver, a small set of pliers, some Gorilla Tape, some rope, 2 extra rudder pins and a tube of GOOP. A few other items as well but not necessarily tool related.

1) Where the ropes connect in the back, I want that to be higher. It like drapes over my shoulder. Can you recommend a product or is there something I can build that fixes this?

There is no efficient way to prevent this, as if you build some sort of frame behind you to raise the mainsheet so it misses you head, you will reduce the efficiency of the sail shape, by tightening the foot (bottom) and loosening the leech (rear edge).

But in reality, you will soon get used to occasional interaction between your head and the mainsheet and won't even notice it.

Welcome surfer, We all have different ideas and have different uses for our Islands. I like to sail and fish and sometimes have friends along with me. I built a roll bar (for lack of a better name) it holds my rods and keeps the cooler in place and raises the main sheet above my head. It goes in the built in rod holders behind the back seat. I run the sheet between the top two cross bars. We all have a great time on our Islands. Again Welcome.

_________________“Remember life is short- eat dessert first.”The world is 70% water – So that means we should spend 70% more time sailing than mowing lawns!Larry

surferhunterguy, Tom's list is right. For salt water, I store the tools in a plastic jar with a multi-tool, a couple of extra rudder pins, a bunch of wire-ties, a couple of bungees, a thermal blanket, and a backup safety whistle.

I have all my racks in and ready to go! This forum is great, I copied off another guys setup here with his Tacoma. It's solid. Debating on whether or not to get the cradles.

Kayak looks great on your truck. Do you have the kayak sitting on anything or just on top of the racks?

I will have to do the same setup and am curious how hard it was to get up on top of your truck?

I have the Thule truck racks already and am curious how much room you have on either side of the kayak once it is up there? I will have to also carry two other kayaks with J cradles in addition to the TI. I am thinking if I were to take the amas off that this would work. What are your thoughts?

There really isn't much room at all on either side, inches... I do think without the Almas you could fit 2 kayaks on j cradles and even put the Alma's in the middle. As for getting the ti on the truck I would say it just takes moderate strength. The Thule racks lower so its really just a matter of lifting the bow up to chest height or so. Feels like lifting a bag of concrete from the ground up. Then of course you just lift up the back and push it forward. I love it. No way I would get a trailer now.

That's a great setup for a TI on your truck with the raising/lowering... props who ever thought of that. I have seen dude's doing it with two off the top of a lumber rack and with two of them it looks like a huge chore... still have to lift above the head. This is a good solution for AI users too I think. I have a Tacoma but just have a topper that is not too high so I can deal with the AI bow lift, but for the TI, that's a really great way to go... and I would typically breakdown my akas/amas so I'm a bit surprised your able to do it with that extra weight involved. I don't own a TI, but have sailed them and know the size/weight difference. But I digress about being impressed about the setup.

As far as what I bring on the water, I always have a kayak pump with me. I don't know TIs common issues but I've had a 2007 and 2009 AI crack on me for no good reason, once on a Mississippi River expedition that had my pumping out for days every 30 minutes on the thing. You never know, could save your boat and your life in the right/wrong circumstances.

The tools I keep the most on the boat personally are Pedal parts. I really don't like not having functional pedals on the water, and always having owned used mirage drives eventually things go or pop out of place. I won't get into lots of detail because off hand I can't think of all the proper part names, but I keep allan wrenches for the couple places where they are applicable (less need now with the V2 screw-in pedal shafts). The most common things that break I have spare parts for is one chain assembly, the other cable that goes over the wheel, and a sprocket. I have had multiple failures over the years with these parts. Yours are new so you should be good for a while, but these are on my list including a wrench that fits the nuts for the chain assembly and such/

A multitool with good pliers I keep on a leash on my PFD for dealing with broken rudder pins, etc. also. I think a previous poster mentioned things that I also carry - rope, etc. Have fun out there!